April Fool
by 8brains
Summary: It was supposed to be a silly prank, just to freak Derek out. but happens when it goes to far and Casey begins to devolp feelings for Derek? Dasey. I know Iput this Story up then Deleted it Before. i don't own Life With Derek.
1. The plan

April Fool April Fool

**Okay, I just went back and corrected a bunch of spelling grammar errors on this story. Let me know of any more mistakes. **

**Summary: Casey gets involved in an April's Fool's prank, where she has to flirt with Derek. But what happens when Things start getting out of control and both Casey and Derek develop feelings for each other?**

**Lol Read and Review!**

XXXX is Casey's POV

OOOO is Derek's

XXXX

I'm sitting in the cafeteria with Max when I see the STRANGEST thing. Sam and Kendra are walking up to me! I don't think I've ever even seen look at each other before...wait I don't even think I've seen them in the same room together before. They both sit down. Sam across from Max and Kendra across from me. Sam says hi to us and I already know that the two of them have something up their sleeve just from the evil grin on Kendra's face.

"Hey Case!" Kendra says cheerfully as she sits down

"Ummm hi?" I reply I am now officially scared of what Kendra and Sam are up too.

"So," she begins and here it comes the evil scheme she has come with. She spent way too much with Derek because the smirk she has on her face is almost identical to the one Derek gets when he comes up with some half thought out scheme.

"You guys know that April Fools Day is on Friday right?"

"Yes" I say "what about it?"

"Well Sam and I have decided to play a prank" she looks at him and they smile at each other and I am completely confused, I look over at Max and he looks just as perplexed as I do.

"You're playing a prank? On who?"

"Derek" Sam and Kendra say in unison

I start laughing almost uncontrollably. They have no idea what they getting themselves into. It was only two weeks ago that Lizzie tried to get back at Derek for letting the air out of all her soccer balls. She decided she was going to glue his hockey puck to his hockey stick. She had gotten as far as buying the glue but as soon as Derek saw Lizzie enter the house he knew exactly what she was up too and hid his hockey stick and puck god-knows-where.

"Are you okay Casey?" asked Sam. I realize I was laughing and remembering at the same time, everyone at the table looks at me with worried face.

"Yeah I just- you guys are way over your head"

"Oh I doubt it," says Kendra the evil smile returning to her face

"We have the whole school in on it" Sam says, surprisingly an evil smile is spreading across his face, which is odd since I'm pretty sure the only Faces I've seen Sam make are angry, confused, and happy.

"And what exactly is this prank?" asks Max finally joining the conversation

"Well, we're going to turn Derek's world upside down." says Kendra

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I ask

"That's where the rest of school comes in. We couldn't get all the teachers in on it but some of the ones that usually give him a hard time are going to start treating him nicely, all the girls that are into him are going to ignore him, all the guys he's friends with are going to ignore him, all the nerds and losers are going to start talking to him and the girl who is not into him is going to be into him" She squealed it more then said it.

Kendra almost looks relieved when she is done explaining, She probably couldn't wait to tell me, and then I freeze, realizing what she wants me for. She said the _girl_ not girls.

"Wait what exactly are you saying?" I asked I think I know what's coming but I can't believe she would ask something so…_wrong!_

Kendra sighed, "Obviously I want you to pretend to like Derek!"

I shuddered at the thought.

"EW!! No way! Derek is my stepbrother! Do you realize how wrong that is? I mean its incest for god's sake!" I retorted a little too quickly.

"No it is not" Sam interjects "The law says as long as George doesn't adopt you and Lizzie and Nora doesn't adopt Derek, Edwin, and Marti then its perfectly legal"

"But it's still so wrong" I say. Sam looks at me angrily,

"My cousin got married to her step brother"

I turn red. "I'm sorry Sam I meant, I mean, It's DEREK!"

Sam seems like he understands and nods his head excepting my lame apology

"I don't think I'm comfortable with Casey hitting on other guys" Max interjects.

"Aww" Max is so cute when he gets jealous.

"You bimbo she isn't actually is hitting on him! She would just be pretending! And think about all the stuff Derek's pulled with you! This would major payback." Kendra says, from the look on Max's face her agurement worked. Great, now I have no excuse not too.

"Oh fine I'll do it!" I groan and bang my head on the table. This is going to come back and bite me later.

"PERFECT " Kendra squeals! You can start tonight. On Friday when Derek has lunch we'll all come out and scream APRIL FOOLS!"

Great. This should be the best week of my life

So what did you guys think??

I know I didn't get Derek's POV in this chapter but I didn't Really need it.

But it's Definitely be there next chapter!

So now everyone tell me what I did wrong!

lmao


	2. someone's acting a little strange

Hey everyone

Hey everyone! . I have all the major plot points planned out in the Story so my only problem is finding a way to write them down. I'm very inexperienced. So once again XXXX is Casey's POV and Derek's POV is OOOO.

OOOO

"Kendra is Defiantly up to something." I tell Sam as we walk past her in the Hall Way. Normally I wouldn't care considering we broke up a couple months ago but every time she walks by me she gets a _extremely _evil smile on her face and I'm beginning to get suspicious.

"She Probably wants to get back together with you." Sam half laughs when he says and I get the feeling he's in on it.

"Whatever your planning it's not going to work" I smirk as I say it. God I love being so good at catching on.

"Dude what are talking about?" Sam throws a perplexed look. Maybe I was wrong, maybe there not planning anything at all well, Kendra defiantly is.

"You and Kendra aren't trying to play some lame prank on me?" I ask

"Dude I've only spoken to Kendra once, why would I be planning to prank on you with her? Besides there is no pranking you, you catch _everyone_" Sam has a point. I _am_ the master, why just last week I caught Lizzie trying to glue my hockey puck to my hockey stick. I let her get as far as to almost glue the puck on the stick before I let her know I knew what she was doing. "Okay but if I find out that you and Kendra are planning anything- "

You'll hang my hind on your bedroom wall?" Sam cuts me off

"Yes" I say.

I see Casey Walking down the hall she looks at me and freezes. She becomes wide eyed, like a deer in headlights, my headlights to be specific.

"Hey Look its Klutzilla!" I walk over to her causally; I love annoying Casey at School, why? Because when she's annoyed she yells or trips or has some kind outburst that would embarrass at school, but she doesn't do anything she just stands looking at me like I was Johnny Depp or something.

"H-hi" she mumbles

"What's your problem McDonald?" I ask. She is acting very strangely why hasn't she told me to go away or push me, or something?

"Are you okay Casey? Are you sick or what?" I wave my hand in front of her face and then push the back of my hand to her forehead. No fever. Maybe Casey and Kendra are the ones pulling the prank.

" I- I have to go" she murmurs as she runs away.

"What's her problem?" I say to Sam

" I don't know, you live with her"

"Whatever dude lets just go to class"

XXXX

I run down the hall to catch up with Kendra

As soon as I turn corner I can help but laugh. After thinking about it for a while after lunch I decided that this could be the perfect way to get back at Derek for the stuff he's done to me over the past year.

"This might actually be fun," I say to Kendra after I catch up her

"What did he say?" Kendra asks she seems kind of excited

"You where Watching?" I ask.

"Well Duh! You expect me to trust an amateur deceiver like you do trick someone like Derek Venturi?"

"Well I-" Kendra cuts me off.

"It's okay sweetie," she says as she pats me on the shoulder.

"He thought I was sick!" I laugh out.

"This is going to be so much fun!" she hops up down clapping her hands. There is a fine line between insanity and genius.

"But Kendra?" I was hoping someone might say something but after hearing Derek and Sam talk in the hall it was obvious no had mention it, and do you blame them? She is one the most popular girls in school and pissing her off could mean the end of your social life until your 30.

"What is it Hun? Are you still feeling all grossed out about? Because Sam told you it's NOT incest, your not blood related so there's no problem."

"No it's not that, it's just…"

"What Casey?" Kendra narrowed her eyes at me.

"Your just being way to obvious that you're up to something. I heard Derek and Sam talking in the hallway and he can see right through you" I squint my eyes bracing myself for whatever Kendra has for the messenger. But when nothing happens I open my eyes and Kendra is gone. She probably stormed off _thank god!_

OOOO

_Thank god!_

I sit on the couch and am welcomed to the strange but consistent zoo I live in. Marti has decided that today she is a puppy and she's barking and asking me too pet her; Lizzie is outside practicing her soccer game with one of her friends, Edwin is making up business cards for his new plan to take over Staples or something, Dad is in the kitchen talking to Nora about what there're going to do about the neighbors hating them, and Casey is…oh, I completely forgot about Casey, well I didn't forget about her but I forgot about how weird she was acting today. And of course at that point she walks though the door, she glances at me and then looks at the floor. What is her problem? Honestly just this morning we were arguing over who got to pour the orange juice first and now she can't even look at me? I stand and start to ask her what exactly her problem is when she bolts upstairs.

"Hey get back down here! I didn't start talking yet!" I hear her door slam and I find myself walking up the stairs.

**Like it? I hope so. I might get chapter 3 up tonight because my mom doesn't seem to notice I'm downstairs. But I'll probably wait until tomorrow.**

**So review please!**


	3. footsies

Hey everyone

HEY! Lol also Sorry if the story has had some bad grammar so far but after I proof read it I can't find anything wrong and then when I post it there's like 1000000 mistakes. Sorry if it confused anyone OOOODerek XXXXCasey

OOOO

I walk to Casey's bedroom door. I am determined to figure out exactly what's wrong with her. She thinks she can avoid me yelling at and annoying her all day? I don't think so.

I knock on her door three times. After waiting for almost 30 seconds she comes to the door. I smirk as she gets the wide-eyed look and begins to close the door but I stop it with my hand.

"What are you and Kendra planning? Because whatever it is it's not going to work" now I'll get some answers Casey's such a good girl she'll probably spill the plans on the whole thing.

"What are you talking about Derek?"

"Casey, I'm not a complete idiot. Between Kendra's evil looks in the hall and the fact that you won't even look me in the eyes when I'm trying to talk to you, I can tell your up to something."

Casey sighed, rolled her eyes and look at me again.

"Okay fine" Ha. I knew she couldn't hold down a secret especially when confronted with it.

"Kendra wanted me to help her get back together with you."

That's it? That's the whole plan? I extremely over estimated the two of them. I give her a look that clearly shows how pathetic that is.

"If Kendra wanted to get back together why didn't she just come and talk to me?" I ask. That's how it usually works with Kendra and me anyway; I find it hard to believe that she made a plan with Casey to get us back together.

"She wanted to do something that would make her you realize how much you like her"

"And what exactly was she going to do?" That, I believe. Kendra's the type of romantic that believes every romantic comedy is real and every intervention I love you type thing is how people actually do things.

"I don't know the details but she wanted me to get you in the cafeteria on Friday during 4th period."

"Friday? That seems like time to long to wait."

"Yeah I know but that's what Kendra was planning. Your not getting back together with her are you?" Casey asks. She's looking up at me like she's a hurt puppy. Her blue eyes are big and teary.

I step back a little afraid.

"No I'm not. Why? Are you jealous?" I ask I have no idea why I just said that. Is she jealous? Yeah Derek I tell myself Casey is totally jealous of you and Kendra, that why she's always bugging you to call her after you two break up. Of course Casey isn't _jealous_ she's my stepsister. She was just concerned about Kendra's and mine on again off again relationship.

Casey's cheeks turn a little red. Why is she blushing?

"Oh I'm not jealous! I just think you and Kendra have a very unhealthy relationship and it would be a bad idea to get back together, besides there a _tons_ of other girls who like you!" Casey looks happier almost giddy. As I've said before there is seriously something wrong with Casey McDonald.

"Right okay Captain bipolar, I'm going to my room," I say. She is the weirdest person on the planet.

XXXX

"I have Derek in the palm of my hand" I half lie to Emily on the phone. Hey, if my acting worked on Derek it can work on Emily.

"He totally fell for my fake Kendra wanting to get back together story, and I threw in a jealous vibe. This is so much fun!" I leave out the part where I accidentally blush. Jealous? I'm his stepsister why on earth would I be jealous?

"I'm not so sure Casey" Emily says.

"Why not? It'll be fun."

"Hello Casey? Haven't you seen John Tucker must die?"

"Yea I have but what does that have to do with any- ohhhhh you think I'm going to end up hurting myself don't you?"

"No. I think your going to end up hurting Derek"

"Derek? HA! No way! All that's going to happen is Derek is going to be freaked out and besides he'll probably figure out by Wednesday anyway."

"Maybe, but don't you think, with all this pretending to like Derek he might start to like you back? And if he does how do you think he'll feel on Friday when all is revealed?"

"Emily why must you such a bubble burster?" she does have a point but I doubt it will go that way, Derek does not and never will like me like that if at all.

I hang up with Emily and go downstairs with to dinner. I have a plan.

--

This is going to be so weird! That's all I can think as I take my usual place across from Derek at dinner. I have to stay calm, no matter how weird it is I need to bare with it.

Derek sits down and eyes me, he knows I planning to do something but he doesn't know what, god is he in for a surprise! I contemplated kissing him after dinner but that might have been a little _too_ weird so I decide to flirting is better to start off with; I'm going to play footsies with him. Ew. I really hate this game.

Derek begins his dinner and I begin my plan. I start by just gently knocking my foot against his; I wait to see if he'll knock back but when he doesn't I knock my foot against his again. He looks up from his plate at me a little weirded out but up for I guess because this time he knocks back a little harder. I do the same and this keeps on going and going and before I know it we are having a full on foot war! My feet and his are struggling for dominance in the small space between his feet and mine. Derek and I are laughing so hard we can barely move our feet anymore anyway. Wait, I'm enjoying this? That's weird, but I don't care because I'm having way too much fun trying to immobilize Derek's feet.

"I win!" shouts Derek raising his arms in the air in a sign of victory. When he finally has my feet pinned to the ground with his. Everyone at the table looks at him and me, it's not surprising since all though dinner we were laughing and giggling.

"You won?" asked George "What did you win?"

Figures George and mom would be too focused on their food to notice Derek and I basically freaking out.

Derek remembers that the rest of the family wasn't watching us and he cheeks turn slightly red.

"Derek? Are you okay? Mom asks

"Yea Nora I'm fine, when I said I won I meant that I'm finished- with dinner I mean." Derek stumbles on his words and looks at me like he's begging for my help.

"I'm done too." I say and Derek and I quickly take out plates into the kitchen. I glance back towards the table, George and mom are looking at me weird and I shrug my shoulders to let them know that I'm just as confused as them.

" You play the worst game of footsie I've ever seen." Derek says smirking as he cleans off his plate; I realize neither of us even started out dinner.

"Well I would've be a much better player if everyone's chairs weren't in my way" I say clearing off my plate. I begin to wash and Derek throws his dirty plate in the sink too. He is so annoying! Can't he wash his own stupid plate?

"What was that about anyway?" asks Derek I knew this was coming. I've been very sloppy in my technique; I was just completely avoiding him before and now I

I'm full out flirting with him, but then again, maybe this is better, maybe I look like I don't know how to act around him anymore.

"Oh I don't know. It was an impulse." I say smiling

"You have random impulse's for trying to decapitate people's feet?

"Maybe I do," I say. I shoot him a flirtatious smile and sashay out of the room.

**Thanks for reading everyone! Please keep reviewing! I love reading them! I love them so much! Lol. So tell me what you think! Chapter 4 will be up later today maybe.**


	4. please stop following me

OOOO

Hey everyone Thanks again too all the people who read and review!

XXXXCasey OOOODerek

OOOO

"What is with her?"

I watch Casey gliding out of the room. Is she PMSing or something? First she avoids me, and now she's flirting with me?

"Shermeck hill you hake me hor a halk?" I hear Marti's muffled voice from behind me and I jump. I turn around to see she's painted a brown spot over one of her eyes and is holding a leash in her mouth.

"Marti where did you get that leash?" I pull it out of her mouth knowing her it's probably been dipped in the toilet once or twice.

"I found it on the neighbors front porch! Now will you take me for a walk? Pretty pleases smerek!" I laugh as I pull Marti up into the air to spin her around. Thank god Marti hasn't been influenced by the female presence in the house!

"Okay Smarti. But I'm not putting you on the leash"

"Then what am I suppose to do with it?"

"Just leave it in here, someone's bound to notice it sooner or later"

I put Marti on my shoulders and we begin to walk around the block. Why is Casey flirting with me when she has a boyfriend? Why is she flirting with me at all? Why do I even care? All these question are running though my head as I walk with Marti. I have to find the meaning of this. Tomorrow I will go straight to the source, or the next best thing anyway. Emily. I put Marti down as we get closer to our house and she begins to run around me barking.

"One more Smerk pleassseeee!!" She begs she is looking up at me with her big blue puppy dog eyes. Just like Casey's. Maybe there some influence going on it our house, from someone at least.

"No way Smarti, it's time for bed."

"But I don't want to go to bed!

"Then don't. Just go inside"

"Oh fine!" Marti storms inside and I follow her. I'm not nervous or confused anymore. Emily can't resist me, so naturally she'll tell me what's going on with everyone.

--

I walk into school and I get the feeling I'm being watched. I turn around and I think I see someone run behind a wall but I ignore it and try to find Emily. As I walk up the hall I still feel like someone's watching me but I ignore it because I see Emily at her locker.

"Hey Emily" I walk up to her and I open my mouth to ask how she's doing and she closes her locker and walks away.

"Where are going?" I yell after her.

"Away from you" she says calmly like it's an everyday thing for her.

"That's weird," I mumble myself

"What's weird?" I hear a voice behind me and I jump. That's two times in two days. But this time it's not someone I like seeing. Sheldon Schepler.

"Have you been following me Sheldon?"

"Yeah so?"

"Could you try not to make a habit out of it?" I pat him on the shoulder and begin to walk away.

"I guess, but I hardly think that's a way to treat your best friend." I stop mid-step. What? This is beginning to get out of control. First Casey is flirting with me, then Emily completely blows me off, now Sheldon is suppose to be my best friend?! What is going on?

"Since when are we best friends?"

"Since we were six! Remember?"

"Sheldon I think your mistaking yourself for Sam, he's been my best friend since we were six and he defiantly never followed me in the halls." This has to be some kind of joke.

"Sam? Yeah right. He's the coolest guy in school. No way would he'd ever talk to losers like us." Sheldon states matter-of-factly. Loser? Only one of us is a loser here and it's defiantly not me.

"Sheldon, I don't know what type of game you're playing but I don't want in. so leave me alone!" Sheldon tries to say something back but I make sure to get out of earshot before he can say anything. Maybe Sam will know what going on. I have to find him. I see him talking to some random girl in the hall.

"Hey Sam!" the girl gives me a dirty look and I give one back. What is wrong here? Normally I'd be hitting on that girl so fast it would make your head spin and I can guarantee she would be all over me. So what's with the dirty looks? Sam smiles and walks over to me.

"What is with everyone today?" I try to play it cool but even I can hear the nervousness in my voice.

"I don't know dude. Maybe they're just sick of you." Sam smirks a little as he says it. I scowl at him.

"Sick? Of me? Yeah okay very funny Sam."

"Whatever dude. Lets go to class."

"Fine." I have the feeling this is going to be a very bad day.

XXXX

I keep trying to apologize to Kendra for what I said yesterday but every time I get near her she runs away.

I'm running up the hallway looking for her when I see Sam talking to Derek.

Hold on.

Sam isn't supposed to be talking to Derek! He's supposed to be ignoring him! I want to go over and ask what going on but he won't leave Derek's side! I don't have time for this anyway. I have to find Kendra. I don't know why, but I hate people being mad at me. I always have, so I have to make this better, and having Kendra mad at me probably isn't the smartest place to be, I even cancelled my session with Paul just so I could chase her down.

I finally meet up with her at lunch. I go over to her table and sit down ignoring all the rest of her friends throwing me surprised and dirty looks.

"Kendra are you mad me?" I give her my puppy eyes, but Kendra doesn't look at me.

"Why would I be mad at you Hun? What you have possibly done to make me mad at you? Kendra looks like she's getting ready to explode on me, I have to fix this fast.

"Kendra I'm sorry for criticizing you yesterday. I really am. But I have good news, if you'll just listen to me I'd be glad to tell you."

Kendra looks up at me and I see she is smiling. Maybe Derek's not the only person she's playing pranks on.

"Of Course I forgive you sweetie! Now tell me this good news!" There's a hint of sarcasm in her voice and I can tell she hasn't completely forgiven me yet, but I tell what happened between Derek and me last night anyway (but I left out the fact that I enjoyed it. I'm still trying to process that one myself.) And she seemed utterly delighted.

Now off to the second thing on my list, I need to find Sam.

I see him and Derek walking up the hall. Great even when Sam is suppose to be ignoring him they're hardly away from each other. Derek is looking around nervously; he really can't seem to handle the fact people are pretending not to like him. I laugh a little to myself.

Thank god for Mr. Patterson because he suddenly stops Derek and tries to talk to him and I have a chance to pull Sam away. Why do I feel like I'm the only participating in this stupid prank?

"Yes?" Sam raises his eyebrow at me, but I know he knows what I'm going to ask because he answers before I can even ask what I was going to ask him.

"Casey we're trying to creep out Derek not gives him a heart attack. I have still have to be his best friend so he doesn't have a mental breakdown, and how else is he suppose to know you like him if I don't tell him? You know how clueless he is."

"Well that explains a lot." I'm still a little peeved, but relieved. I'm not the only one participating in this stupid prank. " But you know I don't actually like Derek? This thing is just a prank right?"

"Of course I do Casey." Sam says as he walks away to meet Derek who is running around the halls trying to find him.

"Something tells me someone he's convinced it is." Emily smiles behind me.

"Hey Em. Of course he is. This is just a prank remember?"

"Yes I know Casey but, I also know someone is going to get hurt." Why is Emily so pushy with this getting hurt thing? No one is going to get hurt.

"So, do you have a part in this prank?" I ask Emily, she knows she's a hypocrite and probably feels bad for it, but she can't say no to anyone popular so she obviously agreed to help.

"Well yea, but my part isn't nearly as hurtful as yours! All I have to do is ignore Derek and give him dirty looks like every other girl in the school!" Emily seems hurt that she doesn't have a bigger part in this.

"Lets go to class Em, and later me and you can go to the mall or something okay?" I try and throw her a bone but she refuses.

"Casey, it may not be a great thing but you still have a job to do and you better do it. But, thank you for asking I would _love_ to come over to your house after school and watch you do your job." I laugh even if it's against her morals she can't resist watching people flirt.

"Okay Em. After school you can watch me work my magic." I flail my hands around hoping I look like a magician, but Emily just laughs at me.

As the day goes on I am actually getting excited knowing that eventually I'll be flirting with Derek again. God what wrong with me?

I know I didn't need the Marti thing but I think Derek and hers relationship is so cute! I couldn't resist making it! Oh and this Chapter is Tuesday in the last chapter the reason Derek said that it's a long time to wait is because it was Monday.


	5. FOOD FIGHT!

OOOO

OOOO

"Sam!! There you are! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for you! Never leave me again!" I had stopped trying to hide my panic two classes ago. This day is just too much. Every girl I've seen has given me dirty looks as they walk by or have bumped into me on purpose! One girl even knocked my books out of my hands! And that's not the worst part! All my friends are ignoring me! And all the nerds keep coming up to me to say hi! Thank god I have Sam. I haven't left his side all day; if it weren't for him I'd probably have had a heart attack by now.

"Okay…what were you just saying before you went insane?"

"Funny Sam." I was just telling him about what happened with Casey last night when Mr. Patterson the accelerated math teacher asked me why I hadn't been attending mathlete practice! So after a very confusing argument about weather or not I was even on the team he stormed away and said not to bother showing up for practice anymore.

"Your sure she was flirting with you? You know Casey. She was more likely trying to break your legs." Sam says. I don't blame him for not completely believing me, what Casey did was so unlike her.

"Yes I'm sure! I asked her about it after dinner and she smiled and sashayed out of the room! You went out with her, what's her problem? I bet you ten bucks she's PMSing!" Sam laughs.

"Maybe she likes you dude, you never know."

"This is Casey we're talking about remember? Me and her hate each other."

Sam just gives me those whatever you say looks.

"Dude your sick, I'm going home." I say, thank god my last period of the day is a free period. After all the crazy stuff that's happened today I just want an hour by myself in my zoo.

XXXX

I notice as soon as I get out of school that Derek's not there. He probably went home early because he couldn't handle everyone ignoring him. I am jumping up and down waiting for Emily to come outside from school. I'm not sure whether I'm excited to show Emily I can flirt or if I just enjoy flirting with Derek, but I'm too excited to care. Finally Emily comes out of the overcrowded school doors.

"Hey Emily! What took you so long!" I yell she walks up to me and gives me a curious look.

"Casey it's only been two minutes since you left me at my locker."

"Really? It seemed so much longer to me." She couldn't have been gone for two minutes! It felt like at least five! I check my watch as we walk away from school and see that it really was only two minutes. The walk home from school seemed longer that day too. Usually it takes 15 minutes to get from school to my house but even with me and Emily practically sprinting down the street, it felt like an hour. When we finally get home we are so out of breath that we barely even notice Derek lying in his chair watching T.V. Emily looks at him with Disgust and says she'll wait for me upstairs, which she's not; she's just going to sit by the stairs and watch me flirt with Derek. I walk into the kitchen and get two drinks trying to figure out what exactly I should do. When I walk out of the kitchen I still don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want to be too straightforward but I want to get the point across. I go to put down the drinks on the coffee table.

"Isn't Emily waiting for you upstairs?" Derek asks not taking his eyes off the TV. I forgot Emily was pretending to be upstairs waiting for me. I turn around to go upstairs and realize I'm supposed to be flirting with Derek. I turn on my heel to say something to Derek and I trip. The glasses are thrown out of my hand and all the water lands on Derek. He immediately stands up and glares at me.

"You are so going to pay for that Klutzilla" I cover my mouth with my hands.

"Derek I-it was an accident-"

Derek Begins chasing me around the living room, I run into the kitchen and Derek follows me. He laughs evilly and grabs the sink hose; he begins spraying it at me.

"Der-ek!" I scream but I barely get it out because I am suppressing laughs. I try and block the water by opening the fridge and hiding behind it, which works because the sink hose isn't long so Derek can't reach me. I grab the orange juice, open it and throw it at Derek, he then drops the hose and throws the bowl of chips on the counter at me, I run to the cabinet and throw the rest of the chips at him and it keeps going like that until we run out of food. By that time we're both on floor covered in food, soda, orange juice, and milk. Laughing our heads off.

"We're in so much trouble," I say as we start to calm down. At just that moment Emily walks in.

"Oh my- what happened in here?" she looks shocked but I can see she is concealing a smile.

"We better clean this up" I say. Thank god Derek is such a pig or I wouldn't be able to blame all the food disappearing on him.

"You mean _you're _going to clean this up. I'm taking a shower."

"Derek! You did this too! You can't just leave me to clean all this up!"

"Hey, you started it." Derek smirks at me and I get help but smile back.

He walks out of the room and as soon as he is out of eyeshot Emily squeals.

"So what happened?" she squeals like a fangirl.

I tell her everything that happens, even the part where it was an accident.

"Accidents are so much more romantic when there not planned out!" Emily squeals again.

"Emily" I say, moping the floor, I finally got all the food off it and now I'm just trying to get the rest orange juice to unstick from it.

"This is a joke, a prank, this is in no way romantic." Emily can't seem to get it though her head that nothing is going to happen from this. Emily picks up a towel and begins to dry the wet spots. After we're all done she leaves. As soon as she walks out the door Derek creeps downstairs.

"Is she gone?"

OOOO

"Yes Derek, she's gone. Why are you avoiding her anyway?" Casey obviously has no idea that everything is going wrong today, but, why would she? It's not she cares about what I do, and vice versa.

"I'm not avoiding her! You've seen the looks she's been giving me! I'm afraid that at any moment I could be killed!" Casey starts laughing. Laughing? Why is laughing? This is defiantly _not_ a laughing matter.

"Stop laughing! It's not funny!" I yell. But she won't stop laughing! What's wrong with her?

"Maybe Next time you shouldn't take advantage of her every chance you get!" now she seems really angry. What is wrong with her!

"Casey why are you so bipolar?"

"Why are you such a jerk?"

"Why won't you give me a straight answer?" I swear to god if I don't get some answers from her someone is going to get hurt.

" I don't know! These past two days have just been really weird." She sighs

"Tell me about it." Casey defiantly hit the mark. These past two days have been extremely weird! I'm not sure how much more weirdness I can take, and it's only been two days! Casey looks up at me with those big puppy dog eyes from where she is standing in the living room.

"What are you going to do about Kendra?" she says it so low I have to really concentrate on what she says.

Oh crap. I completely forgot about Kendra. What am I going to do? I could just not go to the stupid thing she's got planned. But knowing her she's probably just follow me around until I agreed to get back together with her. I have to go.

"I'll get back to you."

I have to call Sam. Yes. Sam will know what to do.

--

"You obviously like her." Sam states matter-of-factly on the phone that night.

"Just tell her how you feel."

"Sam, First of all, even if I did like Casey, and I'm not saying I am. But if I did, it would never work out I mean, she's my stepsister! I know that your cousin got together with her stepbrother but this is completely different!! And besides I'm not sure she even likes me. She's been so bipolar this past two days it's not even funny."

"You seem to have thought about this quite a bit."

Actually I did think about it a lot. I had thought Sam might mention I like Casey, and I prepared for it. I don't like Casey! I can't.

"Aren't we getting a little off subject anyway? What am I going to do about Kendra?"

"Obviously you're going to go. After everything's been said you'll reject her."

"Reject her? Just like that? That seems a little too simple."

"Sometimes things are like that."

XXXX

Tonight's dinner was so weird. Nothing major's happening but whenever Derek thought I wasn't looking I swear I saw him staring at me. But it wasn't creepy at all. I even kind of like it. Which immediately made it creepy. I shifted uneasily in my seat.

"Casey honey is everything okay?" mom asks.

"Yeah mom I just think this food isn't agreeing with my stomach." Derek rolls his eyes and George nods in agreement.

"Well I'm not surprised. I knew ordering from that new place was a bad idea."

"We wouldn't have had to order out if I knew all of our food was gone, dear."

"I swear when I left for work this morning our fridge was stocked full of food!"

Derek laughed a little. I don't why I didn't tell mom or George about the food fight this afternoon, I knew Derek would be the one blamed for it, but I just didn't want to have to explain why I went along with it. I'm not sure how they would feel if they knew I was flirting with Derek.

I take Edwin's, Lizzie's, Marti's plates, and mine into the kitchen and begin to wash them. I can faintly hear mom and George argue about food shopping in the next room.

"So we meet again McDonald." Derek says Zorro-style behind me. I roll my eyes but I also smile slightly. God what wrong with me?

"What do you want Derek?"

OOOO

I walk over to Casey and put my plate in the sink to be washed. I pause for a second watching Casey concentrate on doing the dishes. She looks up at me for half a second and blushes. I shake my head. Stop it Derek! Stop it now!

"About yesterday…." I start but I don't know how exactly I'm going to end my sentence.

"What about yesterday?" she says like was nothing.

"You know…at dinner…."

Casey stops for a second and looks up like she is trying to remember. She shakes her head.

"What about dinner?"

"Yesterday…"

"What about dinner yesterday?"

"So what? Your just going to pretend like nothing happened? Like you didn't try to separate my feet from my ankles? Then tried to seduce me after dinner in this very kitchen? What's been going on with you lately? And what happened to Max? Shouldn't you be doing all this stuff with him?"

Casey quickly turned around, flustered. She took a moment to compose herself then narrowed her eyes at me.

"First off! Things with Max have never been better! Secondly nothings up with me I'm just acting the way I always do but I guess before you were just too oblivious to anyone around you that you're just now noticing!"

She threw down the dishtowel she had in her hand and stormed out of the room.

At that moment Edwin walked in.

"What's her problem?" I mumbled.

"Bad take-out." Edwin stated absentmindedly.


	6. Revalation Wendays

OOOO

OOOO

I contemplate faking sick as I get out of bed. I never thought I would dread having to go to school and socialize. I open my door and see Casey coming out of the bathroom. She stops and looks up at me when she notices me staring at her. I blush and walk out of my door into the bathroom.

"Morning." I say as I close the door behind me. I wander around the bathroom for a couple minutes.

What to do? What to do?

I could skip school.

But where would I go?

I could fake sick.

But dad would see though that.

Maybe today will be back to normal.

Though I doubt it.

I guess I have to choice. I brush my teeth and go into my room to get ready for school. If things are weird again I'll just go home early, again

--

Oh dear lord. Where is Sam? I'm running around the hallways trying to find him. I turn a corner and run right into Casey, who spills her books. Great.

"Uh Derek? What are you doing?"

I realize I have instinctively dropped down to my knees and start to pick up her books. I stand up and face her, her book in my hands.

"Sorry." I mumble.

"And good morning to you too Derek." Emily hisses behind Casey. I swallow hard.

"Morning Emily." My voice cracks a little and Casey laughs. I throw her a dirty look.

"Do any of you guys know where Sam is?"

"Nope." Emily turns up he nose and drags Casey down the hall. She looks back at me and gives me an empathetic look as she turns the corner.

XXXX

"How weird was that?" Emily smiles after we turn the corner.

"That wasn't weird, that was _normal _which is weird for Derek."

Emily shook her head.

"I think he might like you."

"What??" I shout.

"Well that the plan isn't it? Make Derek like you?"

"No Emily that isn't the plan! The plan is! The plan is!"

"Do you even remember what the plan was?"

I narrow my eyes at her. Then sigh and shrug my shoulders. Emily squeals for the third time in two days and we head to class.

OOOO

I'm halfway to my locker when it hits me. I helped Casey. I didn't have too. But I did. I try to convince myself I'm overreacting, but it's the only thing I can think of all day, that and where Sam is. I didn't even seem to notice the dirty looks people gave me or that I ate alone at lunch. Another thing I never thought I would be doing analyzing my own weird behavior.

I take the free period I would usually use to chill with my friends too go home early. Again.

As soon as I get home I call Sam.

"Where were you today?" I try to make it seem like it didn't matter that he wasn't there but I could hear my voice rise.

"I'm sick."

"Like that's a good excuse?"

"Seems to be good enough for my mom."

"Whatever dude I have a problem."

"No kidding."

"Not that kind of problem! A-" I hesitate to say it.

"A Casey problem." Sam states.

"How did you know?"

"Lucky guess. What's the problem?"

"I helped her!"

"So?"

"SO?! I HELPED CASEY! CASEY!!"

"Don't you think you might be overreacting a little?"

I bang my head on my desk. I can hear Sam laugh over the phone.

"I think you might just like-"

"Don't you think you might be overreacting a little?"

I bang my head on my desk. I can hear Sam laugh over the phone.

"I think you might just like-"

"Please don't say it."

"Like Casey"

I groan and pound my head on the desk some more.


	7. Not exactly a Family moment

XXXX

There's a bit of a time lapse here! The last chapter ended with Derek on the phone with Sam at his house, but this one goes back to that day at lunch! Don't worry we are back on track by the end of the chapter! Lol.

XXXX

"Stop looking at me like that!" I scowl at Emily as she smirks at me from across the lunchroom table.

"You Like-"

"Who does Casey like? Max asks as he sits down next to me looking rightfully curious. Emily smiles politely at him and looks over to me expectedly, but I refuse to give her the satisfaction.

"My wonderful handsome boyfriend." I bat my eyelashes and give Max an extra passionate kiss ignoring that someone else's image pops into my head.

"So how's your day been going?" I ask.

"Okay I guess, hey can you copy my math notes next period? I'm really having trouble concentrating today."

Emily throws Max an extremely appalled look, which he of course misses. I look at him for a second then tell him okay.

"Great thanks, I'll get them from you after class." He pecks me on the cheek and walks away toward his football buddies. Emily leans forward.

"I didn't realize how much of a jerk Max was. Good thing you're going to break up him soon huh?"

"What makes you think I'm going to break up with Max?"

"Casey, he treats you like his slave, you can't tell me you like that, besides you obviously have your mind on other things." Emily smirks again. I sigh

"Emily, I don't like Derek. And even if I do have a teeny little crush," I emphasize the teeny part by bringing my pointer finger and thumb about a centimeter apart, "It's only because of this stupid prank and it's bound to go away if I just ignore it."

"You're in denial Casey, and even if you don't believe you like Derek you can't deny that all your flirting has made him conjure up some feelings for you."

I have to admit I wasn't expecting this. It never occurred to me that Derek Venturi could ever like me, but hearing Emily say it, it made a lot of sense. I stared at her for a second opened mouthed and looked over at Derek to where he was sitting alone. He seemed really bothered about something. A feeling of guilt washed over me as I realized that some of his problem probably has to do with me. For about two seconds I think about going over to him and just spilling my guts about everything, the prank, the feelings I've been having lately. Everything. I look over at Emily and sigh.

"Emily why do you have to be right so much?" She smiled sympathetically.

"Call me later and tell me how the break up goes."

--

I walk in the door and I can hear Derek yelling at someone upstairs. I thought it was best to leave him alone so I put down my stuff and call Max on my cell phone. I know calling someone to break up is horrible but I just want to get this over with somewhere I know I won't embarrass myself if I start to cry. At first Max is so sweet I start to think breaking up with him isn't such a good idea after all. But then we get to the math notes I forgot to copy for him, he starts to freak out, we have a very heated argument and eventually he ends up breaking up with me. I hang up the phone, I try to hold back my tears until I get into my room, I know how much Derek can't stand crying, but as I walk past Derek's room I see him banging his head on his desk.

OOOO

I can still hear Sam laughing as I continue to bang my head, but then someone catches my head.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Casey demands as she pushes me into a sitting position. Sam's laughing stops but I know he hasn't hung up otherwise he wouldn't have anything to torture me with later. I roll my eyes and groan. Just the person I wanted to see.

"Great it's you." I go to bang my head again but Casey catches it again and brings my face inches from her own.

"Don't you ever, do anything to cause yourself more brain damage then you already have, again." Casey hisses.

"And what are you going to do to stop me." I give her my trademark smirk but Casey isn't joking around.

"I'll-I'll" tears start to form in her eyes. Oh great. Now she thinks I'm suicidal. Normally I would start to freak when Casey starts to cry, but I have this overwhelming urge to comfort her. I stand up and walk over to her.

"Casey don't do that. Do not cry. It's not like I was trying to kill myself or anything." I try to make my voice sound as soothing as possible.

Casey looks up at me just as surprised by my sudden sweetest as I am. I know I just-." Tears begin to roll down her face. "I just broke up with Max. I- I'm sorry for bothering you, just don't bang your head into anything okay."

She begins to walk out of my room but I grab her hand and pull her into a hug. She's tense for a second but then returns the hug and sobs into my shoulder for a few minutes. I can't say I'm sorry her and Max broke up. He was completely wrong for her. He had no personality not to mention he was a total jerk. When we finally break the hug there is awkwardness between us that's seems vaguely familiar, like it's always been there but I never noticed it before.

"Thank you." she smiles but looks confused as she walks out of my room into her room. I wait until I hear her door close and pick the phone up again still a little dazed and confused about what I just did.

"Hello?"

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"I'll call you back when I figure it out."

XXXX

I breaking up, but ended up talking about the unexpected hug I finally got from Derek.

"So was it how you imagined it?"

"I never 'imagined' it Emily, I just…I don't know. I've always wanted a feel good family moment from Derek and I always assumed it would come out of a hug but-." I hesitated.

"But?" Emily demanded.

"It didn't exactly feel like a 'family' moment." I could practically hear Emily smile over the phone.

"Ugh! Emily what am I going to do?"

"Well hmmm. I think, you two should start dating, you know test the waters, and if you happen to find the water enjoyable, tell your mom and George. I'm sure won't be that upset."

"Emily," I sighed, "I do not like Derek, besides, things tonight were a bit-"

"Awkward?"

"Yeah."

"Give it time."


	8. crash!

OOOO

**Morning everyone! You should all thank melancholyblood for their awesome suggestion, which helped me think up this chapter! **

OOOO

I'm pacing around my room shaking my arms trying to figure out where exactly that hug I gave Casey came from. What's happening to me? I just hugged Casey! Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, she is my stepsister after all, but this is Casey! I've never hugged Casey, ever! I never thought I even wanted to, but she was there and she was crying and-. I jumped into the air flailing my arms in Frustration. Since when do I hug someone when they're crying anyway? This is all Casey's fault! If she hadn't been acting so strangely lately none of this would ever have happened!

"I need air!" I shouted at no one is particular.

I hear Nora call everyone downstairs for dinner. Yes! Finally something to eat! I'm starving! I head towards my door but stop short when I realize whom dinner is with. Casey. I can feel the awkwardness building already. I plop face down on my bed. Great, not only is she stopping me from thinking clearly but I now I can't even eat! I pick up my cell phone and dial Sam's number. I don't want too, knowing that when I tell him about the hug I'm never going to hear the end of it, but he's the only one that knows about the whole Casey thing and I'm definitely not in the mood to 'share' with any of my other so called friends. I press the send button. I stand up when I hear the phone pick up.

"Sam?"

"Derek?"

"We're going out to eat. Pick up here in 5 minutes." I don't bother to ask about how sick he is or if he's feeling better or if he even ate yet.

"I'm flattered Derek, really but I just don't swing that way." I roll my eyes.

"You're hilarious Sam, just be here in 5 minutes okay? I need some air.

"Fine." He breathed, trying to sound annoyed.

I hang up the phone and fall back onto my bed in a sigh of relief. I try to keep my mind off Casey (unsuccessfully I might add) until Sam gets here.

XXXX

I jumped when I heard the horn honk from outside. We all looked at each other confused at first but when Derek came running downstairs everyone when back to eating there dinners, except for George and mom.

"Going somewhere?" George asks raising an eyebrow at Derek.

"Uh yea, I'm going to grab a bite with Sam." He said pulling his leather jacket over his shoulders.

"But Derek I made you Barbecue wings, your favorites." Nora replied to him calmly.

Derek looked over at the seven of us eating for a minute looking regretful. Then he turned around shaking the image out of his mind.

"Just leave some out and I'll eat it when I get back." And he walked out the door.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked trying to avoid suspicion that Derek refusing his favorite dinner had anything do to with me.

"Girl troubles I bet." Lizzie answered not looking up from her dinner.

"How much?" Edwin's faced perked up when he heard Lizzie say 'bet'.

"How much what?"

"How much would you bet Derek's problems are girl problems?" Lizzie brought her finger to her chin pondering for I moment.

"Oh no not this again!" George snapped quickly just as Lizzie was about to reply. "I thought we agreed that there was no more gambling in this house!" Edwin sighed and slouched in his chair.

After dinner I cleared everyone's plates and then sat down on the usual spot next to Derek's chair to watch TV.

About an hour after dinner the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Casey?" I heard Sam's calm voice answer.

"Oh hi Sam I thought you were out with Derek?"

"Well I was, I mean I still am but-" There was a hint of nervousness in his voice. I immediately sat up.

"Sam? What happened? Where are you?"

"Uh…well, maybe I should just start from the begging." I waited for him to go on but he didn't.

"Sam!"

"Right! Well you know how Derek likes to drive."

"Yeah."

"Well I let him drive my car, he was little upset about something…." I was filled with guilt, which just built up my fear and worry about what was going on.

"Well he wasn't paying very good attention and he- well we- got uhm."

"UHM? What does 'uhm' mean!"

We got into an accident." I froze for a moment trying to process what Sam just said.

"Where's Derek?! Why isn't he telling me this? Is he hurt? What happened?" I felt like someone just punched me in the chest. I started to hyperventilate. Why Derek? Why not someone else? Anyone else! Just not Derek!

"Casey!" Sam yelled, when he heard me hyperventilating.

"Derek's okay! He has a few bruises but he's fine. I just need you to come pick him up before the doctors have him committed." Sam's voice remained calm and I started to calm myself too.

"I'll be there in 10 minutes. Wait. Committed? What do you mean by committed? What are they going to do to him?" The panic started to build up again and I could feel my breath getting short.

"Well yeah, he's kind of babbling about awkward seductive hugs and he keeps telling the doctors it's all you're fault."

"My fault? How is this my fault?" my panic began to disappear and be replaced with anger.

"Can you please just pick him up?"

I sighed. "Yeah, 10 minutes."

I hang up with Sam and get my coat and keys.

"Mom! I'm going to pick up Derek I'll be back soon!"

--

In the car I can only think about two things, the first being that I'm going to kick Derek's butt for trying to pin this on me. Then I'm going to some how show that I'm glad he's not hurt.

Sam's waiting for me at the entrance when I pull up. He similes at me when I meet him.

As we walk to Derek's room we start to talk about the bet then we get into the flirting.

"You know I didn't think he would care this much about what you did." Sam sighed guiltily as we got on the elevator to the pysch ward. I looked towards my feet feeling guilty again.

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw Derek in a patients robe trying to convince the doctor he's sane. He looked over at me and scoffed. The doctor followed his eyes and walked up to me Sam and I.

"You must be Casey." he said shaking my hand. "Derek said you were pretty." I blushed.

"I did not!" Derek yelled from his bed, crossing his arms, also blushing.

"I'm doctor Kemp. Derek's doctor, I wanted to talk with you before I decide weather or not to keep him overnight for observation. He seems to be under a lot of stress, and I wonder if you could calm him down." I looked at him skeptically.

"I guess I could try…"

"Oh good!" he said and pushed me in the room and closed the door.

I looked at Derek and he looked back at me with his arms crossed, so then I crossed my arms.

"What were you thinking? Getting into a car accident! Didn't I just tell you four hours ago not to give yourself anymore brain damage?!"

"Well none of this would've happened if it weren't for you!" he accused. I took a step back.

"How is this my fault?"

"You're the one the started all of this! If you hadn't been acting so weird lately I wouldn't of hugged you! And if I never hugged you I wouldn't of been asking myself why I did that! And then I never would've felt awkward eating with you! Then I never would have gone out with Sam! And if I never went with San we wouldn't be in the whole mess!"

"Derek you idiot!" I yelled. I knew Sam and the doctor could hear me in the next room but I didn't care.

"You could've just asked me why I'd been acting so weird instead of going out and talking to Sam about it!"

He looked down.

"I'm Sor-" he gulped trying to get the words to come out. "I'm Sorry." He blurted.

I smiled.

"Thanks Derek." I smiled. " Can we please go home now?"

"Only if you promise not to tell Nora and George about this."

"Agreed. But before we go can please change out of that dress." I started cracking up when he tried to get up in only the robe and socks. He just rolled his eyes as I walked out of the room.

"Well done Casey!" Doctor Kemp exclaimed. "He's going home now?"

"Absolutely."

**A little cheesy? Perhaps. Did they go OC? A little. Will all right itself in the next chapter? Duh.**


	9. Do you like Casey?

XXXX

XXXX

"You told the doctor I was pretty?" I asked Derek as he got into the driver's side of the prince. Derek insisted on driving, and against my better judgment I let him. I felt guilty enough as it is, I don't think I could handle the look on his face if I bruised his ego by not letting him drive.

He blushed and looked very displeased. I tried to suppress a smile. He sat down and put the keys in the ignition.

"I was mentally unstable at that moment. I'd have to be to think you-" he glanced over and gave me that famous arrogant smirk. "Of all people could be attractive."

I folded my arms and pouted I could feel my anger starting to bubble. I knew I was overreacting, Derek was, after all, being Derek, but I couldn't help myself.

"How is it even possible for you to be anymore mentally unstable then you already are?" I snapped.

He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, pursed his lips a together tightly and smiled.

"If anyone could do it, it'd be you."

I looked down at my feet, guilt fast replacing my misplaced anger.

"Check your mirrors and keep your eyes on the road." I mumbled.

There was a long awkward pause. The same familiar awkwardness I felt after Derek hugged me. Was this awkwardness always between us? I wonder if Derek could feel it. I looked over at him. He was looking straight ahead at the road, both hands on the wheel and sitting upright. He looked the way normal people look when they drive safely. I thought this would've made me ecstatic, Derek finally listening to instructions, but for some reason I was annoyed. We always fought over driving stuff, and now he was giving in to what I said without a fight? I folded my arms.

"You're not going to argue? You're just going to give in. just like that?"

Derek looked over at me confused.

"I thought you wanted me to listen to you." He stated like some oblivious husband who bought his wife a football for Valentines Day.

"I do." I mumbled, "But I don't want you to go down without a fight."

"And here I thought you hated arguing with me Case." He smiled. Not smirked. Genuinely smiled. I smiled back; I couldn't help it. We looked at each other for a second before Derek put his attention back on the road, still smiling. I studied him for a minute. He really is cute isn't he? I leaned over the cup holders and such between us, practically coming out of my seat and kissed him on the cheek. I let my lips linger for a second and quickly reverted back into my seat once I realized what I had done. I felt my face get very hot, but I didn't look over at Derek, it was way too embarrassing.

I needed more time to think. Could I really like Derek as Emily said? Or was this just a product of the stupid prank? I needed to be home in my bed, free of outside influence to analyze the situation. Thank god we were almost home.

I leaned backward against the seat and closed my eyes trying to ignore Derek's presence.

"Hey Casey?" he asked although it sounded more like a statement then a question. I groaned quietly to myself.

"Yes brother dearest?" we both flinched at the word 'brother'.

"Remember when you said if I had bothered to ask you about why you'd been acting so weird this week you would've told me?"

I rolled my eyes, I course I remembered. I said it less then 10 minutes ago.

"Yes Derek what about it?"

"Why have you been acting so weird this week?"

He raised an eyebrow. He was trying to seem like he was only vaguely curious but I could hear in his voice that he was a lot more then 'vaguely' curious. Now I had two options; I could spill the beans on the whole prank and have the whole school hate me forever, or I could attempt to lie to Derek. Neither choice was in my favor, I desperately wanted to tell Derek about the prank, but I was so scared! So I decided to not answer at all. I look over at him with the big puppy dog eyes I taught Marti.

"Can we not talk about this now?" I sighed. I saw him tense a little when he looked at me.

"Do not do that." He asserted.

"Do what?" I asked genuinely confused.

"That!" he shouts!

"What!!" I shout back. Maybe he should've stayed in the hospital. It certainly would've given me more time to think.

"Don't look at me like that!" he pointed towards my eyes taking one hand off the wheel. I quickly pushed it back on the wheel.

"I'm having enough trouble with my sanity as it is without you getting all cute." He mumbled louder then obviously he meant too.

"Excuse me?" I meant to sound mad, but I couldn't hide the pleasure in my voice. Hurry up and drive Derek! I don't think I can handle being in the car with him much longer. I needed to get home and think. I willed it with my eyes still looking for an answer. He looked nervous; he pushed the gas petal with his foot so we went speeding down the street. It seemed like an eternity before we pulled into our driveway.

"Oh thank god!" I almost yelled. He seemed to relax a little too. He turned off the car then looked over at me.

"That never happened!" he stated, "I was never in a car accident! The doctor never said anything about what I might've said about you! You didn't kiss me on the cheek and I didn't say you were being cute!"

"Fine." I huffed just happy to be home. I practically sprinted from the car to my room not bothering to tell mom I was home.

OOOO

I sighed, taking my time getting out of the car and going into the kitchen.

Edwin sat in a stool when I walked in.

"Hey D, what'd you say to Casey? She ran to her room so fast I barely saw her."

I gave him an, 'I don't want to be bothered now' look.

"She's just being emotional"

"So what're you going to do about Kendra?" he asked.

Great, just what I wanted to be reminded of right now. Wait. How did he know about Kendra?

"How do you?" I began but he raised a hand cutting me off.

"There isn't anything I don't know about." He stated. He had no idea how wrong he was. I went to watch the hockey game; I figured Casey would want to think, like she usually did. I wanted desperately to go up to her room and say that I took everything I said in the car before back. I did say she was cute, and she did kiss me on the cheek, but I think I'll like it better when she comes to me and confesses her feelings. And she will. Won't she? I sighed and folded my arms behind my head trying to get into the game.

"Smerek I was trying to watch cartoons!" I heard Marti shout as she ran down the stairs.

"It's game time Smarti." I stated as she jumped onto my lap. She sighed; she was perfectly content just to spend time with her wonderful big brother anyway. I smiled in spite of myself.

"Smerek?"

"Smarti"

"Do you like Casey?" Marti looked up at me with the same huge eyes Casey used minutes before. I sighed.

"Yeah Smarti, but that's just between you and me okay?" I pointed a finger at her to emphasize my point. She giggled and hugged me.

"Okay! Night Smerek!" she got off my lap and ran up the stairs.

"Night Smarti!" I yelled after her.

There was no denying it now. Sam was right. I Derek Venturi like Casey McDonald. Now I just have to wait until she realizes she likes me too.


	10. Stupid Wax figure

OOOO

XXXX

I was pacing around Paul's office early the next morning. I didn't sleep at all yesterday; I was up all night thinking about Derek. These stupid feelings!! I refuse to have them! I can't! No matter what Emily says! Paul would reassure me, tell me I hated Derek. He had too.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Paul asked calmly taking a sip of his coffee.

"No!" I shouted. Then I rolled my eyes and slumped into the chair across from his desk. "Yes."

"Let me guess, a Derek problem?" he guessed correctly of course. He always did, but boy was he going to thrown off by the bomb I was about to drop on him.

"This isn't just a Derek problem Paul. This is the mother load of all Derek problems!" I flailed my arms a little for emphasis.

He leaned forward in interest, like he was going to hear something he'd been waiting for. I started explaining about the prank and he nodded and asked questions, which I ignored to continue the with the story. When I finished explaining about the prank and how Emily felt about it I stopped.

"That's it?" Paul asked sinking a little in his chair. "It seems to me that everything's fine besides you feeling a little guilty. I-"

"No that's not it" I whispered looking at my feet, I really didn't want to tell Paul, but I knew he would help. He leaned forward in his seat again. I wouldn't meet his eyes. I didn't really want to tell anyone about my feelings lately and if I told Paul it would be the first time I ever said the words out loud.

"Well?" Paul asked eagerly. I sighed.

"I-well, um lately- because of the prank and everything maybe."

I stopped for a second and took a deep breath trying to compose myself.

"Because of the prank I think I might be starting to like Derek. But I can't like Derek I hate Derek so this must all be a figment of my imagination right?"

I looked up at Paul hopefully. He had a smug grin on his face.

"Finally!" he threw his hands up in the air forgetting he was holding his coffee and spilled it all over his head. I wanted to laugh but I couldn't, 'finally?' what was that suppose to mean? He picked up a napkin and wiped his head and dabbed at the stains on his shirt then he looked over at me never losing his smug grin.

"Casey, it's been obvious since day one. I'm just glad this prank made you finally realize your feelings."

I stared at him for a few minutes, my mouth ajar.

"That's not what you're suppose to say!" I shouted

"And what exactly was I suppose to say." He asked folding his hands on his desk.

"You we suppose to tell me I was right! That it was all a figment of my imagination!"

"Well I'm sorry Casey but I just can't do that. It would be wrong of me to lie to you."

I glared at him a few minutes more; he just kept up that smug grin. Eventually I slumped a little in my sit not quite ready to except that my feelings were legit.

"Well what am I suppose to do about the prank thing then?" I whined. Paul raised his eyebrows knowing I knew what I was supposed to do.

"I know what I'm supposed to do but don't you have any other options?" he just raised his eyebrows again and I groaned and walked out of the room. As I walked out I noticed Max leaning against the wall outside of Paul's office. Did he hear what Paul had said? Did he know?

"Hey Max." I said carefully. He smiled.

"Hey Casey, listen, about last night I was really being a jerk."

"Ya think?" I snapped annoyed.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I had no right to overreact about the math notes, and I guess I'm still a little jealous because of the whole Derek thing."

Max shrugged his shoulders. I smiled. How was it he ended up saying exactly what I wanted to hear?

"So are you saying you want to get back together?" I ginned. What a perfect distraction to Derek. Max laughed a little.

"That's exactly what I'm trying to say." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.

OOOO

"Why is he so interested in her anyway?" I said to Sheldon when I looked over and saw Max talking to Casey. Sam wasn't in school again today and I didn't really have anyone to hang with so when Sheldon started following me again I let him.

"Isn't he her boyfriend?" he asked confused

"They broke up last night." I said maybe with a little too much pleasure.

"Are you sure? Because they don't look like it."

I looked over at them and they were kissing. Kissing?! Wait a minute! It never occurred to me that Casey didn't share my feelings toward her. I mean she kissed me on the cheek. So not Casey like. Why was she kissing Max? I felt anger and frustration pulse though me. I wanted to go over there and punch that stupid wax figure's face in, but Casey would probably be mad. She hates violence I remembered. I threw my biology book into my locker and slammed it shut.

"Let's go." I barked at Sheldon

We stormed down the hall and into the cafeteria, ignoring all the shoves and dirty looks I got. Just because I wouldn't hit Max didn't mean I would sit around and do nothing while he took Casey away.

"Derek we don't have lunch until next period!" Sheldon called after me as I raced ahead of him.

"I need it this period." I said oddly calm, considering how I felt. Sheldon followed me into the empty Cafeteria. It was used every other period for cleaning purposes. So I could work in peace. I ran over to the stage and pulled open the trap door near the back.

"Sheldon! Help me get this silly string out!"

XXXX

I had an ominous feeling as I walked with Max into the Cafeteria. I tried to stay as close to him as possible without seeming too clingy. We were walking over to get out lunches when a pie fell from the ceiling.

"Well something you don't see everyday." I said looking up to where the pie had fallen from.

Max stepped forward to examine it and suddenly fell face first into it. I swear I saw a wire pull up when he fell.

"Oh my god Max are you okay?" I asked trying to suppress the laugh building up inside me.

"Yeah." He said as pushed himself up by the arms. He sat on his knees and started licking his lips. I rolled my eyes. He stood up and stepped over the pie, but when he did silly string shot at him from all sides. The whole Cafeteria was laughing at him including me. When the cans were empty he looked at me with pleading eyes. I smiled a crooked smile and he frowned at me.

"I'll call you later Case." He said and walked swiftly out of the room.

Who would do something so immature? I racked my brain for the perpetrator and then scolded myself when I didn't realize it right away. Derek.

OOOO

Max's face when the silly string hit was priceless! I'm standing behind the curtain of the stage with a video camera. This wasn't over yet; the whole school was going to see Max the _perfect_ football quarterback fall and I was going to make sure of it. Someone tapped me on the back.

"Not now Sheldon! I'm gauging the audiences reaction."

I was tapped on the back again. This time I turned around and saw Casey glaring angrily at me.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed. I gave her an innocent look.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Casey." then I smirked, she narrowed her eyes more.

"Why are you doing this? Can't you just leave well enough alone? Why do you always have to into the middle of all my relationships?" Her words dripped with venom and I can't say it didn't hurt that I was unwanted in her personal life.

"Casey you can't tell me you actually like that jerk?" I pointed towards the door Max had run out of, the pansy. Casey narrowed her eyes so much it looked like she was going to go cross-eyed. I could've laughed if I wasn't so scared. I took a step back from her. She raised her index finger and pushed it hard into my chest.

"Derek don't you ever. Ever! Prank Max again!" she used the same tone of voice she had when she was telling me not to bang my head on the desk. I scowled at her.

"And what are you going to do to stop me?" I challenged.

"I'll- I'll never talk to you again!" she hissed.

"That's not much of a threat." I smirked, even if she wouldn't talk to me I'd talk to her, not matter what she said. She glared harder and the phrase 'if looks could kill' popped into my head. This wasn't the reaction I was looking for; this would've been what I expected if I had hit Max.

"Come on Case!" I whined. "You have to admit it was a little funny." She pointed her finger at me again and moved it back and forth a couple of times then dropped it in defeat.

"I guess it was a little funny." I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"So Casey, may I escort you to your lunch table?" I bowed. She thought for a moment then said she should see what's going on with Max. I scowled at I watched he walk out of the Cafeteria.

"You two seem to be getting along okay." Kendra's voice made me jump. I turned to her and eyed her carefully; I almost completely forgot about Friday until this moment, hopefully she'll ask to get back together now. It would be so much easier to refuse her if it was just she and I.

I shrugged. "I guess so." She smiled her bubbly smile. I politely smiled back.

"May I escort you to your table?" I figured if Casey wanted Max fine, she could have him, but if she thought I would sit around and not try to drive her insane with jealously she had another thing coming to her. Kendra laughed at me and walked away. That's right, the loser thing. I forgot about that too. This is frustrating. Sheldon walked up to me.

"Can we go sit down now?" he asked warily seeing my anger. I sighed.

"Yeah let's go. Casey couldn't like Max. And I would make her see it.

**I know they saying is, "Got another Think coming." But it's Derek and I doubt he will have read To Kill a Mockingbird. I think that's where the quote was started. They say it an awful lot.**


	11. An intervention? FOR WHAT?

OOOO

OOOO

An idea strikes me as I watch Sheldon give Emily a quick peck on the lips and then come over to sit next to me. Emily is Casey's best friend. And don't best friends want each other to be happy? Wouldn't she rather see Casey with a handsome charismatic guy like, say, me? Then with some plastic, jocktard, jerk that'll probably make her miserable? I think so.

"I'll be right back." I say to Sheldon when he sits down.

I take a huge breath telling myself there's nothing to be afraid of, it's just Emily. She wouldn't kill me in a public place would she? I sit down and Emily she picks up her tray to leave but I push it back down with as much force as I can without breaking it.

"It's about Casey." I say with the tiniest hint of concern in my voice. She puts down her tray and eyes me carefully but somehow still manages to throw her eye daggers at me.

"What about Casey?" she snaps trying to sound uninterested.

"She got back together with Max."

"I noticed." She sighed and I could pick up a little bit of frustration in her voice.

"I take it you like Max just as much as I do." I smirked at her. She couldn't help but smile back and it encouraged me a little. This was going to work. She composed herself and gave me another dirty look.

"What is this about?" she finally asked. I smiled at her and she drew back cautiously.

"I want you to help me help Casey." she rolled her eyes.

"And what's that suppose to mean?"

I sighed. "Help Casey see what a jerk Max is!"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"I don't know! Don't you girls talk about this kind of stuff? Just start talking about all the stuff he's done to her!"

"Like what specifically?" she leaned forward in interest. I figured at this point the cat was pretty much out of the bag; at least where Emily was concerned, so it couldn't hurt to give her the satisfaction of knowing I've actually been keeping track of all the times Max (or any other guy for that matter) was a jerk to Casey. I count them in my head and started to recite everything I've heard to Emily.

"And then there was that time-" I think I was staring to wear Emily out when Kendra cut me off as she sat down next to me at the table about ten minutes later.

"Hey Emily! Can I talk to you? In private?" she coughed signaling me to leave, I sarcastically smiled at her and walked back to my original table sitting right next to Sheldon so I could see them talking.

Emily was looking down and Kendra was half standing up hissing something at the poor girl. Sheldon followed my gaze and began to stand up, but I pulled him back down.

"You expect me to just stand her while that girl insults my girlfriend?" he accused.

"Yes." I say blandly. Sheldon gives me a surprised look, but slowly sits back down. We keep watching Kendra and Emily.

Kendra keeps hissing at Emily, but then she mumbles something and Kendra leans in to hear what she said. She sits back, and Emily looks up from the ground, her face very animated. She waves her hands while she talks and her normal hyper speed until Kendra raises her hand says some final word and walks away. Emily claps her hands together and walks toward our table with a huge smile plastered on her face.

"Huh." Sheldon huffed. He was probably as confused as I was that their conversation went from borderline catfight to squeal fest.

Emily tries to make it seem like Sheldon was the one she was smiling at and gives him a very long kiss. I make a gagging noise but it doesn't seem to affect them. After she's done eating Sheldon's face she turns to look at me, the scowl I've known for the past three days returning to her face.

"I've decided to help you." She says staring at my nose.

"Help with what? What did Kendra want? Why was she yelling at you?" Sheldon interrupts. She smiles at him and mouths later.

"And what made you decide this?" I smirk at her. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Sheldon glare at me, but I ignore him. She looks into my eyes now and a huge smile begins to form across her face again, but she quickly looks down towards my nose again.

"I care about Casey's happiness?" I can tell this is only half true.

"Thanks Em." Really, who cares if that's not the real reason? At least I've got her help.

"So what's the plan?" she leans forward

"I'm, not really sure." I sigh. She rolled her eyes.

"You don't even have a plan?" she moaned. I open my mouth to defend myself but she raises a finger to silence whatever I was going to say.

"I guess it doesn't matter, what Casey needs is an intervention not some half baked scheme."

"An intervention? Like the ones on that show?" I ask slightly confused.

"Yeah." Emily said brightly. "After school, you, Kendra, Sam, me, Sheldon, and that blond girl you work with that Casey's friends with will all bring Casey down to Smellie Nellie's and make her see what a jerk Max is and how bad he is for her."

"How did you come up with that so quickly?" I breathe; half relieved half confused.

"Oh, I've been planning this since Casey told me her and Max got back together."

"Why is Kendra coming?" Sheldon asks. Emily rolled her eyes again but she wasn't the least bit annoyed.

"Kendra's Casey's friend too!…kind of! And Casey needs all the support she can get! So Derek right after school go in for your shift at Smellie Nellie's and tell Sally to be ready, I'll have Casey there by 2:30."

--

"Finally admitting your love for Casey?" Sally says as she sets a table for Casey's 'intervention'. I glare at her, Sally and I went out for a while but a couple weeks ago she said I was in love with someone else and she would much rather be friends. I had no idea what she was talking about until just now.

"I'm just trying to make her see what a jerk Max is." I grumble. She stops setting the table and places her hands on her hips.

"So you don't deny it?" she laughs and goes back to putting the silverware on the table. "I told you, you were in love with someone else." I'm telling she's almost as insightful as Marti sometimes. I shake my head and go wait tables, Sally and I decided to take a break at the same time for the intervention and I don't want to miss any tips.

By 2:25 everyone is waiting anxiously for Casey and Emily's arrival. I sit in between Sally and Sam with my arms folded. When Sheldon gets the call that Casey will here momentarily everyone starts pulling out notes they wrote to Casey.

"You brought one too?" Sally asks eyeing my two-page front and back note. I smirk at her and she folds her arms and sinks in her chair feeling left out.

We hear Casey before we see her, yelling down the street that she needs to go to Max's house. We all sit up in out seats bracing ourselves for the hurricane that's about to hit.

XXXX

"Emily I really need to see how Max is doing-" I tug free of her arm as she pulls me into Smellie Nellie's. Poor Max was such a good sport pretending not to be embarrassed when he finally came out of the boys bathroom puffy eyed.

I turn to walk away not even examining the interior of the restaurant like usual but Emily spins me around so I see Derek, Sally, Sam, Kendra and Sheldon all sitting at a long table looking at me sympathetically. There are two seats for Emily and I at the end of the table.

"What's going on?" I ask cautiously. Emily sighs and pushes me into a chair.

"We're giving you an intervention."

"FOR WHAT?" I scream, another overreaction I know, but what on earth do these people think I'm on? I'm Casey McDonald!

Sally ushers a worried looking Pablo back into the kitchen.

"Casey, you're so oblivious! Max is a jerk!" Kendra cries.

"That's what this is about? I can't believe you Derek!" I just know he's the one behind all this! That stupid jerk needs to mind his own business!

"Why are you blaming this on me?" he argues.

"Because you're the one who pranked Max this afternoon? And! You're you! What other reason do I need?" he scowled at me and threw two pieces of paper in my direction.

"Case in point." He mumbled crossing his arms. I pick it up and start to read. About half way though I throw it down.

"What do you even want me to do, huh?" I glared at Derek.

"Breaking up with him would be nice." Sam said in his usually calm voice. I switched my glare over to him and he noticeably stiffened.

"You're in on this too?" I snapped.

"S-Sorry." He stuttered. I took my time to glare at everyone at the table, I watched them stiffen in fear when I met their eyes, waiting for an explosion. I turned my glare back to Derek, he didn't stiffen, he didn't look scared, he leaned forward and met my glare. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the other's throw scared looks of concern towards Derek.

"You know what a jerk he is, so why are you with him again?" he hissed. I kept the glare for a few more seconds but then sunk back into my chair exasperated. He leaned back too, keeping the glare on his face.

"I needed a distraction." I sighed.

"From what?" Sheldon asked obliviously. I changed the subject.

"We just got back together. I can't just call him and tell it's over, especially since I caught him crying before."

Derek laughed.

"He was crying? He's even more of a pansy then I thought." I shot him another glare hoping that he would be afraid like the others but he just smirked.

"You can do it tomorrow." Kendra grinned.

After that everyone started to file out of the restaurant. Sally went back to waiting tables and Derek went into the kitchen to let Pablo know his shift was over with a goofy grin on his face.

The car ride home was thankfully less awkward then the last one, but Derek kept that stupid grin on his face the whole way. When we finally arrived home we were greeted by the familiar sounds of our family.

"Did you two eat yet?" George asked.

"No. I'm starving!" Derek exclaimed sitting down and helping himself to whatever was on the table. I sat down across from him like usual and started to help myself too. I couldn't help but feel this was going to be a very interesting dinner.


	12. purple kittens

XXXX

**Horary for Dasey!**

XXXX

"So where were you two last night? I didn't hear you come in." mom asked as she took a bite of her meatloaf. Marti started giggling uncontrollably, and everyone looked over at her.

"What's going on bunny?" mom beckoned. Marti laughed harder and hopped out of her chair, everyone was still staring at her.

"Derek told me a secret!" she giggled as she hopped up the stairs. Now everyone stared at Derek, he gulped.

"What'd you tell her to make her so excited D?" Edwin emitted. Derek looked nervous for a second but quickly composed himself.

"I told her the earth was about to be invaded by millions of purple kittens."

Lizzie laughed and everyone went back to eating his or her dinners. And he said _I _was gullible.

"Speaking of where you were," George hummed, "Where were you two just now?"

Derek smirked at me, daring me to tell the truth. I glared at him. I closed my eyes then looked over towards George.

"We were at and intervention."

George started choking on his food, along with Lizzie and Edwin. Mom spit out the water she was drinking and Derek laughed, all in unison.

"Who's?!" mom demanded. I took a deep breath.

"Mine." I stated. George and mom's eyes grew wide and Derek laughed harder, I had to admit it was a little funny watching them freak out over nothing, but I was still mad at Derek and I wanted to get him into as much trouble as possible.

"Max and I broke up last night and got back together this morning." I explained and Lizzie ushered me on.

"Well Derek didn't seem to keen on this idea so he got Emily, Sam, Kendra, Sally, and Sheldon to stage an intervention to make me break up with him." I glared at Derek who was now glaring back. Mom and George relaxed a little.

"That was very nice of you Derek." Mom breathed focusing on her meatloaf. I stared at her in disbelief.

"_Nice?_ That was not nice! That was betrayal!" I yelled

"Are you breaking up with him?" she asked not even looking up from her food. I glanced over at Derek, who was smirking again. Daring me to lie. I sunk a little in my chair.

"Yes." I mumbled.

"He really must've been a jerk if your friends needed to give you an intervention huh." George laughed absently. I narrowed my eyes at him, hoping that my glare might somehow set his dinner on fire.

"You know, I'm not really hungry anymore." I announced. I shot Derek a 'this isn't over' look and took my plate and Marti's into the kitchen.

I was sitting at my computer checking my e-mails waiting for the sound of Derek's door to slam. I didn't want any of the rest of the family getting in between us when I ripped his head off. I jumped when I heard the sound of someone landing on my bed. I turned around and saw Marti. She had a goofy grin on her face that could only have come from Derek.

"Hey Marti what's up?" I asked trying to sound as bubbly as possible. She broke into a fit of giggles. She rolled around on my bed for a few minutes and I started to get worried. Then all of sudden she stopped. Keeping that goofy grin on her face she hopped off my bed and onto my knee.

"Derek told me a secret!" she grinned; I tried to grin back.

"What did Derek tell you?" I questioned. As plausible as it was I was not buying the kitten story.

"I'll tell you!" she exclaimed, "But you have to promise to tell me a secret first!"

I sighed. "Okay Marti, what do you want to know?"

"Do you like Smerek?" she eyed me innocently, slightly drawn back.

"Tell the truth!" she demanded sensing my lie. I'm telling you for a seven year old she is unbelievably insightful.

I though for a few moments and now it was Marti's turn to look worried.

"Casey? Are you okay? Are you going to answer my secret?" she asked. I smiled down at her. I took a deep breath.

"I'm very mad at Derek right now." I breathed hoping Marti wouldn't catch on that I was avoiding the subject.

"That's not what I asked." She stated simply. Way too insightful for a seven year old. I set her down on my bed again. I thought about what Paul said this morning. 'Obvious from day one.' I guess there was no running away from it anymore. I let out a groan similar to the one Derek uses when he's told to do something he doesn't want too.

"I guess." I sighed. "But that doesn't mean I'm not going to rip his head off." Marti looked worried for a second. "And don't tell him I said anything!" I added. She broke into another fit of giggles and ran out of my room.

"You didn't tell me the secret!" I yelled after her.

"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret anymore duh!" I heard her shout from her room. Then, as if on que, I heard Derek's door slam.

OOOO

I didn't even have time to get to my bed before Casey barged into my room.

"Knock much?" I smirked at her. She ignored me and pushed me onto my bed.

"What's wrong with you? Convincing my friends I need an intervention? Was Max really that bad?" she accused. I honestly loved how she automatically assumed it was my idea to have an intervention. But you would have never known it from my face. I stood up and folded my arms glaring at her.

"First of all, the intervention was not my idea it was Emily's! Secondly yes Max was that bad! And you two were horrible together! Why did you get back together with him again?" I brought my finger to my chin pretending to think. "Oh yeah, because you needed a distraction! And what exactly did you need distracting from!" Casey glared at me, I knew exactly what she needed a distraction from, but I wanted to hear her say it out loud. I smirked, and she pushed me down again.

"That's none of your business." She hissed. I stood up again, we were inches apart, and now I was genuinely glaring at her. None of my business? She had to be kidding.

"Oh I think it is." I said folding my arms again. "Honestly Casey why are you so afraid of this?"

She took a step back. "I don't know what you're talking about." She denied. I rolled my eyes.

"Casey." I pleaded; she was so exhausting!

"What?" she snapped narrowing her eyes dangerously at me. I sighed and plopped down on the bed. It was looks like those that made me think she really did hate me. Leave to Casey to make me doubt myself. I decided to make the first move.

"I like you." I mumbled. She froze. Her eyes got really wide and I started to think that maybe I was wrong about how Casey felt, maybe the other night she was just happy I wasn't hurt or anything. I groaned and plopped onto my back spreading my arms across my bed.

"You didn't tell Marti, kittens were invading the planet did you."

I sighed. Her petty attempts at changing the subject were just going to make things more awkward. Good. Leading me on the way she did, she deserved it.

"No." I grumbled.

"What'd you tell her." She asked cautiously. I raised my head to look at her. She looked desperate.

"I told her exactly what I just told you." I stood. Watching her being frustrated was one thing, but I hated seeing her so upset, and immediately regretted wanting to make her feel awkward.

"Look, forget I even said anything. We'll pretend like this past week never even happened and things will go back to normal." I put my hands on her shoulders and spun her around pushing her out of my room. She resisted.

"No." she whispered spinning around to face me again with those huge eyes I couldn't resist.

"I don't want to pretend like nothing happened."

The next thing I knew her lips were crashing against mine, I slung my arm around her waist as I return the kiss and she slid her hands though my hair. It's so surreal. Then almost as soon as it started she stopped it. I smiled at her.

"So I guess this means you like me too."

She laughed, and plopped down into my computer chair. I sat down on my bed. I smiled to myself; things were going to be different now.

"What're we going to tell mom and George?" she asked suddenly. I rolled my eyes.

"How about we don't tell them?"

She stood up. "Derek! We can't just not tell them! They're out parents! They have to find out sometime!"

"_Sometime_ being the key word her Case." I stood up too, "Let's assume for a second that the moment we told them they didn't freak out and send us to a nun school!" Casey rolled her eyes. Maybe some things were going to stay the same.

"Derek boys can't be nuns."

"Regardless! _If_ they didn't send us into the Clergy," I corrected, "We would never have another moment alone in this house ever again!"

"Oh come on Derek I'm sure that's not true." She went to walk out of the room, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Look, you saw how strict they were about you being alone with Max, and me being alone with Kendra. And we didn't live with them!" I flailed my arms for emphasis. She considered this for a moment, then sighed.

"I guess we could wait a while." she started.

"Yes!" I shouted and squeezed her. She smiled. Then she froze.

"Oh crap." She whispered. I drew back from her cautiously.

"What?"

"Derek I have to tell you something about the prank." She looked scared.

"There's more to it, then Kendra wanting to get back together with me isn't there?" I asked. She sighed guiltily.

"Yeah."

"I'm listening."

"Well you see Kendra doesn't want to get back together with you. She just wants to scare you; she got the whole school to act like you're a loser. And I was suppose to act like I liked you." She started off the sentence like a normal person but by the end I had to lean in close to her too hear. "And Sam's in on it too." she added.

"I knew it!" I exclaimed putting the pieces together in my head, relieved I wasn't going crazy. I don't know why I didn't see it before!

"You knew? Then you're not mad at me?" she drawled.

"Was the kiss part of the prank?"

"No."

"Then why would I be mad at you?" she smiled and kissed me again.

**Sorry if this chapter was Kind of Cheesy. And I'm sorry if the kissing scene was a little...idk lacking? it was the first time I ever wrote one so...yea. anywaayy only one more chapter left!! I'm positive now! I'm not posting until next week on April's fools day, so you have plenty of time to enjoy it not being over!**


	13. April Fool's!

OOOO

OOOO

To the rest of the household breakfast that morning was the same as any other. Mom and George rushed to get to work on time, Marti complained that she didn't want to go to school, Lizzie was rolling her eyes at Edwin's new plan to make millions, reminding him to look at the research, and Casey and I bantered. But there was something missing between us when we fought, bitterness perhaps? Whatever it was, I was relieved it was missing.

"Derek pass me the corn puffs." Casey commanded, I could see she just wanted to know if I would actually do it, everyone knew the corn puff were my cereal. I took the bowl she had in front of her and grabbed the box of corn puffs.

"Hey!" she squawked leaning over the counter to grab the bowl. She folded her arms as she watch fill the bowl halfway. I set the box down and picked up the carton of milk still sitting on the counter. I flicked the cap off and laughed when I saw Edwin race across the kitchen to catch it before it hit the floor.

I filled the bowl and set it back down in front of Casey, she gave me an annoyed look.

"I could've done that myself."

I smirked at her. "No one touches my cereal, not even you." Lizzie and Edwin gave each other confused, and slightly amused looks.

Casey took two spoonfuls of cereal and emptied her bowl into the garbage. I walked over to the door and grabbed my leather jacket.

"You ready?" I asked. She walk towards me happily then stopped, remembering something. She sunk a little and sighed.

"Yeah, lets go."

"What're you going to tell Kendra?" Casey asked, while we pulled into the school parking lot.

"I'll tell her I knew all along, and that she was foolish to try and fool me on April's fools day."

Casey rolled her eyes. "You can't just tell her 'You got me' and make her feel better about herself?"

I smirked, "Nope."

I got out of the car and saw Max waiting outside the doors for Casey.

"You ready too make my day?" I teased. She stuck her tongue out at me and I pretended to catch it and press it too my heart. She rolled her eyes and started walking towards the school.

XXXX

Oh this is going to be so awkward. I force a smile when I walk up to Max. He misses the forcefulness of it and smiles back.

"Hey Max." I start.

"Morning babe." I rolled my eyes. I really hated when he did that.

"Look. I don't think this is going to work." Max looked confused, and then realization dawned on him.

"There's someone else isn't there?" well at least he finally guessed something right. I cast my eyes down.

"Yes." I mumbled.

"It's Derek isn't it?" I looked up at him in surprise. He was on a roll this morning, but this seemed a little too insightful for Max. He noticed my surprise.

"I heard you talking to the guidance counselor yesterday." I rolled my eyes, I didn't know how many times I talked about Paul but you'd think he'd bother to learn his name.

"You listened to my session with Paul?" I snapped, my anger rising. He looked down.

"Yeah." he grumbled. "But I won't tell anyone." I glared at him, made an angry noise and stormed off. Derek was waiting for me inside.

"How'd it go?" she grinned. I shot a glare at him making his glare disappear.

"That bad huh?"

"He listened to my session with Paul yesterday."

"So?"

"So! He knew! He knew I liked you and he asked me out anyway!"

"Want me to beat the crap out of him?"

I sighed, "No". Derek looked a little disappointed and I laughed.

"Want me to go with you at lunch today, Kendra wants to throw a big 'I fooled Derek party'."

"It's your lunch period anyway."

Walking though the halls with Derek was not as humiliating as I thought it would be. No one seemed unsurprised, but it's not like we were holding hand or anything, just walking unusually close.

I saw Emily standing with Sheldon and waved.

"No!" Derek hissed but it was too late, Sheldon ran over to Derek in an attempt to tackle him. Sheldon jumped and Derek dunked, sending poor Sheldon flying over Derek and landing on his back.

"Der-ek!" I glared.

"What was I suppose to do? Let him kill me?" I rolled my eyes, and went to help Sheldon up.

"Are you alright?" I asked. He rubbed his back. "Yeah. I'm fine." He groaned. He walked back over to Derek and slapped him on the back.

"Just some uhm Male bonding? Right Derek." Derek rolled his eyes.

"I know about the prank." He said taking a step away from Sheldon. He looked sad, and then quickly rearranged his face.

"What prank?" he asked. Derek rolled his eyes again.

"Casey told me everything last night." He continued hoping Sheldon would catch on. He did, he shot a glare towards me.

"She did? Even the part where-"

"Morning Casey!" Emily cheered, cutting Sheldon off. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a look.

"Even the part when what?" Derek asked looking at me with confusion, I looked back just as perplexed as he was.

"There was no other part." Emily said creepily. I opened my mouth too question her further when Sam walked up.

"Morning guys." He smiled nodding his head at everyone. I looked at him guiltily.

"I told Derek everything." I mumbled. Sam sighed.

"I figured this would happen. I tried to Warn Kendra that you always find out, but noooo. You going to kill me now?"

Derek slapped a hand on his back smiling. "No. This week wasn't all the bad." He looked over in my direction realizing what he was talking about, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"That's great man, really great. Want to walk to Class?" Derek waved goodbye and walked off with Sam towards his locker. I looked over at Emily, who was still all smiles and Sheldon who was glaring at me,

"I'm sorry." I said. Emily shook her hand back and forth in dismissal.

"Don't worry about it! It's just a silly prank right?" she laughed. She took my arm, and nodded too Sheldon letting him know it was time to leave.

"So tell what happened last night after the intervention."

It took me two whole periods to explain the whole of last night, between her squealing and the teacher yelling at us to shut up. After I finished explaining she wouldn't stop talking about it during 3rd period. I was so relieved when the bell for lunch rang.

"I know Derek knows about the prank thing but could you please please please keep him from going into the cafeteria until after the late bell rings?" Emily babbled as we walked towards the direction of Derek's locker.

"Thanks!" she yelled and ran off. I sighed.

"What's she up too?" I heard Derek ask behind me.

"She's overly excited." I sighed again. He laughed.

"About what."

"About us, and the prank." He laughed again, and held out his arm.

"Shall we?" I rolled my eyes but took it anyway.

I noticed as we made our way to the cafeteria, that the hallways were completely deserted. It was insanely quiet. I had no idea high school kids could be quiet for so long. I heard the late bell ring when we were standing next to the closed Cafeteria doors. There where faint 'shhh's' coming from the inside.

"Ready?" I asked Derek. He laughed.

"Casey it's me we're talking about." He pushed the Cafeteria doors open.

"APRIL FOOL'S!!" screamed probably the entire student body, when we opened the doors. I glanced around the room examining their decorations. I noticed immediately that there was a banner hanging over the stage. There was a picture of Derek and me from mom's wedding in the middle of it. I glanced around at my fellow students, some of them were holding signs say things like 'Just kiss and make up.' Or 'You two belong together.'

"What's going on?" I asked confused as Kendra bounced up to me. Derek looked over at me.

"Did you know about this?" I shook my head.

Okay! Well me and Sam had this idea, we noticed you guys were obviously like, in love with each other, and that you would never realize on your own." Kendra took a breath before going on, "So me and Sam organized this whole prank thing to make Casey 'pretend', "she made air quotes, "to like you! So you two could realize how much you actually loved each other!"

"But, you told me-."

Kendra rolled her eyes, "We couldn't just tell you all this could we? That would ruin the whole point of April Fool's day!" she laughed.

"Huh." Derek said, grabbing my waist and pulling me close to him. "You're a little late."

Kendra's face dropped a little in frustration.

"Figures." She huffed and walked away towards the crowd.

"KISS!" someone yelled from the far corner of the room, someone who sounded oddly like Emily. I turned to look at Derek.

"Should I tell them about your PDA rule?" I whispered. He rolled his eyes.

"I don't think so." He laughed and bent down to kiss me.

**And they all lived happily every after!! lol. Not to get to cheesy or whatever but I'd like to thank everyone that reviewed and read this story. I know I'm not that great of a writer. Sorry if this last chapter was a little ehhh. I'm meant to get them together definitely in this chapter but accidentally did it last chapter lol.**

**Thanks for reading!**


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